Splinters

When Leiloa returns to her childhood town, it's not willingly. Spending so much time away has given her the chance to leave behind the memories, some good, some bad, but when her ailing mother begs to visit one last time, she can't say no. As the hours pass, each moment brings a new wave of familiarity, and the nostalgia builds. But as it does, the weight of what was left behind looms overhead, just out of sight.

Written for ONC 2026

Prompt: #47 Your Dad builds you and your friends a fort in the back yard close to the edge of the woods. But when you and your friends play, something stirs among the trees, and playtime becomes more than mere imagination.

Dedicated to all the leiloa; those who are lost.